New youth crime laws 'toughest in Australia'

The Queensland Government says it is cracking down on youth crime but the Opposition says new laws will make little difference.

Community Services Minister Karen Struthers says from today, Queensland courts have new powers to name serious juvenile offenders and impose curfews.

Ms Struthers says she is still reviewing whether 17-year-olds will continue to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system.

Queensland is the only Australian jurisdiction with that policy and advocacy groups have repeatedly called for change.

The changes were an election promise last year, but the Opposition says they were first flagged in 2001.

Ms Struthers says young offenders who do not change their ways will feel the full force of the law.

"We've got the toughest laws in Australia and we're getting tougher - people are feeling unsafe and we're not going to cop this any longer," he said.

"Young people need to know that there is help available - we are trying to put young people back on track early and intervene early.

"But for those who don't take up those opportunities at jobs and to get off drugs and those sort of things that are impacting their offending behaviour, they'll certainly feel the full force of the law."

Ms Struthers says she has visited the youth centre that is part of a Brisbane adult prison and 17-year-olds are involved in education and other programs.

"But the youth detention centre offers a more fulsome range of programs, vocational education and training, and that certainly seems to be a very important part of the rehabilitation for young people," she said.

"Those sorts of things are the things I'm looking at to see which system is the better system."

But Opposition spokesman Rosemary Menkens says the new laws will have little impact, because young offenders are not being rehabilitated.

"I don't believe that these new changes are going to make much difference at all," she said.

"We supported the changes but this Government is soft on crime - this Government's approach is not improving youth crime at all.

"We're seeing a revolving door with youth crime and no matter how tough they talk. it is not working."